Rod Reiss was a formidable antagonist in “Attack of the Titans” and a man full of mysteries.
The final season of the popular Japanese fantasy anime aired at the end of 2020. Over the course of the first three seasons, many twists and turns took place, and viewers were devastated by the loss of many beloved characters, making this series one of the most shocking in terms of anime deaths. While the protagonists are compelling and easy to understand, the antagonists present a fascinating complexity. Fans are also very fond of anti-heroes, as they have captivating and often tragic stories.
Even Rod Reiss, one of the anime’s most powerful villains, was adored by fans of the series. Despite his megalomaniacal and demented nature, he remained a fan-favorite character. As the real King of the Walls from 845 to 850, he had twisted views on heritage and tradition, which made the series even more exciting.
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He was part of the Titans Original bloodline
Reiss was the son of a king, and this position placed a considerable burden on him. Growing up with secret knowledge was a responsibility that drove many members of the Reiss family into the madness of power. The Original Titan has been passed down from generation to generation within the royal family over the centuries.
Rod Reiss’s brother Uri inherited this unwanted power, which enabled him to control other mindless Titans. He later passed it on to Rod’s daughter Frieda. Lord Reiss was the guardian of this legacy, and his desperation drove him to make a decision that forever altered life within the walls.
Rod Reiss’s transformation into a Titan
Rod Reiss undertook an unconventional attempt to save his bloodline and the Original Titan, and he had to act fast. He decided to kidnap Eren and Historia. At the time, Eren was heir to the Original Titan, while Historia was Reiss’s illegitimate daughter. He tried to convince Historia to inject herself with a serum, thus transforming into a Titan and devouring Eren. This would have allowed the power of the Original Titan to return to the Reiss line.
Historia, however, was unwilling to do as her father demanded and destroyed the syringe. By this time, Rod had suffered an irreversible back injury and could no longer stand. He crawled to the serum and licked it off. This serum transformed him into the most grotesque Titan ever to threaten mankind.
The Face of Titan by Rod Reiss
After his transformation, Rod remained unable to stand due to his persistent back injury, even in his Titan form. However, he would not give up his desire for ultimate destruction, and the monstrous creature crawled towards the nearest column, his face scratching the ground.
As he crawled tirelessly towards the wall, his face remained concealed. At one point, however, he tried to straighten up, revealing his ravaged face to the world. This emblematic moment made many fans look away from the screen. The sight of Rod Titan’s mutilated face was simply unbearable.
Rod Reiss VS The Colossal Titan
There’s been a lot of speculation among viewers about the connection between Rod Reiss and the Titan Colossal, but in reality, they have very little in common. The fearsome Titan Colossal was in fact Bertolt Hoover, one of Mahr’s warriors. They invaded the wall in an attempt to lure the Original Titan, wishing to appropriate his ancestral power, as this would have considerably altered the course of the war on Paradise Island in favor of the Mahrs. Although Colossal isn’t always considered one of the best villains in “Attack of the Titans”, he remains one of the series’ most powerful and darkest antagonists.
His tragic relationship with Historia
Reiss’s unwanted daughter turned out to be the true leader of the Walls. Finally, Historia was the last living member of the Reiss line. At the start of the series, her father didn’t recognize Historia because of her mother’s status as a servant. After her mother’s tragic death, Historia assumed a new role and joined the military academy. Everyone expected her to fail, or even die, but she surpassed all expectations.
For a long time, she was completely unaware of her true heritage due to the actions of her half-sister, Frieda. The latter had erased Historia’s memories using the power of the Original Titan. Due to anime fans’ attraction to apocalyptic series and characters with tragic stories, Historia became one of the most beloved characters in “Attack of the Titans”.
The reason Rod Reiss didn’t eat Eren
After witnessing the dramatic scenes in the Reiss chapel, many viewers wondered: what if Rod Reiss had devoured Eren? It’s a popular question that continues to be debated by “Attack of the Titans” fans to this day. Since Historia couldn’t be convinced to devour Eren, the task remained in the hands of Rod Reiss. However, Reiss chose not to.
Although it would have been an easy solution, Rod realized he wouldn’t be able to perpetuate the bloodline in this way. He felt that Eren was the key to preserving the legacy and that he had a greater value as a human being. The writers made a wise decision, which made fans happy, as Eren was able to defeat many powerful antagonists.
The reason Rod Reiss wanted to be a Titan
Rod Reiss was a staunch defender of his royal heritage and the Original Titan. He was willing to do anything to play an essential role in his family’s history. His obsession did not lie in becoming a Titan himself. However, when all seemed lost, he didn’t hesitate and opted for one last attempt to destroy humanity by transforming himself into a Titan. He used the serum as a last resort. For him, it was the only option to change things, even if he failed to achieve his goal.
His eldest daughter Frieda Reiss is full of surprises
One of the most captivating characters in “Attack of the Titans” is Rod’s eldest daughter. Frieda was the real Queen of the Walls from 842 to 845. As well as being one of the last known Original Titans, she played a crucial role in Historia’s childhood.
Frieda was a caring and loving person, who protected Historia by erasing some of her memories. At the age of fifteen, she devoured her uncle, Uri, to obtain the power of the Original Titans. Later, she was defeated by Grisha’s Titan Assassin and devoured by him to merge with him.
Why did Rod Reiss die?
Reiss’s Titan form was far from suited to survival. His torso was so colossal that his limbs were unable to support him. With a broken back, he was doomed to lose his last fight. The disproportion of his Titan made him an outsider in the battle against the walls of Orvud. In the end, he was blown up and cut to pieces by the humans. It was Historia who sliced his neck, passing on memories that revealed Rod had tried to defy the Titan’s rules.
Rod Reiss was the greatest Titan
Rod Reiss became by far the largest Titan, but this made him a little weaker than most other Titans. For example, he would have been unable to defeat the Colossal Titan.
Despite being twice his size, his limbs were weak and he had less control over his body. However, no human could have inflicted major damage on his gigantic, smoking form. Even a Titan considered “weak” could cause enormous destruction.
And what do you think of Rod Reiss? Share your opinion in the comments!
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